These days, it seems like we're living in a carbophobic society, where simple bread and pasta are considered as evil as butter, ice cream and Kentucky Fried Chicken. But when it comes to weight maintenance, researchers are claiming that you needn't be so wary of your wheat and potato intake. In fact, new studies show that a low-carb diet and a high-carb diet are equally effective when it comes to managing your weight a year after you've shed pounds.

Researchers at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital in monitored 141 men and women who'd recently lost weight for year -- half were instructed to stick to a high-protein diet and the other half went on a high-carb diet. Both groups kept their fat intake below 30 percent of their total calories, and both were told to lower their saturated fat intake. The amount of weight regained over the year was the same for both groups, about four pounds, leading researchers to conclude that what matters in a weight maintenance program is overall calories, regardless of carbohydrate intake. They did notice one difference, though -- the average blood pressure went up in the high-carb group but not the high-protein group.

The moral of the story? It's not a sin to eat a plate of spaghetti every now and then as long as your diet is generally healthy. However, when it comes to carbs, try to stick to whole grains.

Duran Duran ruled the 80's. In fact, they still kind of rule. Selling out arenas around the world isn't too shabby in anyone's book.

Even though he's still performing with his legendary band, John Taylor has reformed from his very typical rock star ways of the past, and is now a genuine fitness fiend. We spoke today, and I was delighted to hear about his new lifestyle. John told me that he gave up drinking and drugs years ago and pays a lot of attention to his health. He actually said he considers himself a runner! So cute, he called himself the "slackest runner in the world" but knows he needs that outlet because of the mental relief it provides. To quote John, he says it "suits my psychology."

When we see rock stars living the party life, it's easy to wonder what effects it will have on their futures. Some simply don't survive the lifestyle. But John did, and it's wonderful to see the man so many people adore as he lives a truly healthy life. He does struggle a bit with something, though.

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When the autumn days get cooler and shorter, I, like most people, turn to warm foods -- soups, stews, fresh breads and the like. One of my favourite sides for just about any dish is warm, fresh corn bread. With just the right balance of sweet, salty and buttery flavours, I can't resist a slice (or two) (or more) of corn bread. You too?

Sure, it's named after a vegetable, but is corn bread otherwise healthy? Let's find out ...

I've got a problem with bread -- I love it. And when I go out to eat and there's a bread basket on the table, I'm in trouble. Deep trouble. Hungry Girl offers a few tips for bread lovers like me who really don't prefer to eat as much as we do. And while she writes these tips with Panera Bread in mind (yummy), many of them can be utilized at any establishment, even at home. These are HG's rules to chew by.

• Get a half order. And if Panera is one of your preferred stops, go with the "You Pick Two" option. You get to pick a half-sandwich, half-salad, and/or half-soup.
  
• Ditch the top half of the bread and enjoy your sandwiches open-faced.
• Avoid Ciabatta and Foccacia breads. Just about anything else is better for you, but Hungry Girl recommends you get something with the words whole grain in the name.
  
  

My tips for banishing an overload of bread? Don't keep tempting breads in your house, choose restaurants that don't serve bottomless bread baskets, and don't eat out so much. Save bread for a special treat if you can't hold back. Like me.

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Dr. Oz, Oprah's much-loved health guru, recently gave a piece of advice that is raising some eyebrows. The influential doc recommends eating whole grain bread topped with extra virgin olive oil before meals to fill you up and keep you from overeating. Apparently it slows the passage of food.

Over at Celebrity Diet Doctor, they're weighing in on this piece of advice. The verdict? Filling up on something that is high in calories (olive oil) before a meal is no way to lose weight. Instead, fill up on something low in calories, like a piece of fruit or some veggies and you'll not only eat less, but your pre-meal meal won't pack much of a calorie impact.

Your thoughts?

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She may be committed to fitness, but overall, she doesn't have the healthiest habits. Eva Mendes recently revealed that despite her svelte figure, she's not adamant about watching what she eats. Says the gorgeous starlet: "I'd shock you at how much I could eat. Any kind of dessert is fantastic. It's gross, but I also love cup noodles. I'll eat two at a time because the salt really does it for me. They're so cheap so they can't be that good for you, but they're yummy!"

Mendes, 34, adds that the only time she is careful about eating well and exercising is when she is filming: "f I have a shoot I'll work out more and watch what I eat, but if I don't I'll let myself go. I'm addicted to bread. I want it constantly so, right now, I'm letting myself have more of it but when I start my next movie I'll cut down."

Why does she rely on junk food? Mendes also admitted that she is a terrible cook -- so bad, in fact, that she's given up trying to prepare meals.

(via Calorie Lab)

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The Atkins Diet took the world by storm a few years ago -- and created a lot of controversy over health concerns. I can't say I disagree -- an eating plan that allows you to eat bacon and butter but outlaws even half a slice of whole wheat bread just seems wrong no matter how much weight you lose if you ask me.

According to the Daily Mail, the Atkins diet is back with a bang, and bread is no longer your worst enemy. Actually, the new plan looks a lot like the South Beach Diet, in that carbs are banned for two weeks, after which you can slowly integrate them back into your life. Another key change? Exercise is now recommended, especially if you're planning on eating carbs.

What do you think of the Atkins Diet? Does it work? More importantly, is it doable?

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I'll admit it: I'm a bit addicted to Starbucks. It's just so darn convenient. There's one near my house, my office -- heck, there's even one in my grocery store. Since coffee is definitely a staple of my diet, I end up in the Starbucks line-up fairly often.

And I usually do stick to coffee, except on a rare occasion when I've either forgotten to pack a healthy snack or was in too much of a hurry to grab a healthy meal. In such an event, the baked goods call out my name from their home behind the glass window, and, with stomach grumbling uncomfortably, I am powerless to resist.

I'm not a fan of super sweet cakes and donuts, so I tend to stick to things like muffins and scones. But are they any healthier than the sweet stuff?

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We've been told that sandwiches may not be the best meal choice. Often slathered in fatty condiments like mayonnaise, or piled with enough servings of salty deli meat, laden with nitrites, to feed your entire family, they just don't seem to make much sense in a health-conscious world.

You don't have to give up eating sandwiches if you want to eat healthily -- really! You can make your sandwich and eat it, too... with a few alterations.

• Try sprouted grain bread, like Food for Life's Ezekiel Bread. The live grains make it a better source of protein and more digestible than most breads.
• Choose your portions wisely. Your sandwich doesn't have to look like something Joey from Friends would eat; start by using 80% of the fillings you would normally use, and cut down from there depending on your hunger.
• Use whole foods inside your sandwich: fresh veggies, naturally raised meats without preservatives (try Applegate Farms) and condiments like guacamole, salsa, mustard, even plain yogurt, in lieu of the mayonnaise.

Carbs are my weakness, so when I'm at an outdoor event or just walking through a sea of food vendors, I'm drawn to the ones that emit the soft, mouth watering scent of warm bread. A pretzel stand will do nicely. Especially if I can get it with some butter. I know, I know. It's a bad habit, picking up carb-loaded junk food from street vendors. But on the other hand, is a pretzel really that bad? It's not deep-fried, as far as I know. And without butter, it's just some bread with a little salt.

What do you think? Is a pretzel a calorie disaster? Or is it a fairly harmless way to curb cravings?

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One recent story that's been populating my google reader several times over is the recent comparison of diets. In short, low-carb diets were found to be the most successful, followed by the Mediterranean diet, with low-fat diets in last place.

But don't be so quick to trash all your bread and pasta. Low-carb diets aren't all their cracked up to be. I'm Not Obsessed recently revealed one very big problem with low-carb plans: Not enough fiber, leading to digestive issues, particularly constipation. As someone with IBS (read: regular digestive issues) I would stay away from this kind of diet, and I'm not expert but maybe you should too.

The key, if you ask me, is balance. Low-carb diets can help you slim down, but don't take it to an extreme. Make sure you're still getting a bit of healthy, whole grain fiber in your diet. You know, to keep things moving.

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When you're in a time crunch, a piece of whole-wheat toast and some fruit is a quick and healthy breakfast. But what are you putting on top of your toast? Healthcastle's dietitians review some popular toast toppers and give us the nutritional low-down:

• Nutella. While a hazelnut spread may seem like a healthy option, Nutella is packed with more sugar and palm oil than hazelnuts.
• Margarine. Be sure to pick a spread that has zero trans-fats. (Look for non-hydrogenated vegetable oil on the ingredient list.) For an even better option, choose a spread that has plant sterols added for cholesterol health.
• Cream cheese. You may think this yummy spread counts as a serving of dairy. While technically it does, it's actually pretty low in calcium. Calorie-wise cream cheese isn't too bad when you pick the lite versions.
• Peanut butter. This tasty treat is packed with protein and also provides some monounsaturated fats. Just choose a natural peanut butter that doesn't contain hydrogenated oil.
  
• Jam. It's fruit... so it must be healthy, right? Not when it's paired with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Choose 100% fruit varieties that are sweetened with natural juice. Or, better yet, make your own.

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Aren't we all dying to be told to eat some bread....lots of bread? Unfortunately...I recently dealt with a pretty disgusting reason to chow down on some firm crusted French bread. Ick, ack and yuck! There was a hair stuck in my throat, and I was going nuts! I know........gross! But it was true. Fortunately that's about the grossest thing I've dealt with in a while, so I suppose I should feel pretty lucky? Hmmm.

Anyway. I complained about it to some friends, and they too had experienced the same thing at some point. Very annoying. So I Googled the question and fortunately found an answer. Dr. Khaghn recommended drinking milk to break down the hair (which could take up to three weeks!) Or ... eating some bread which had a good chance of grabbing on to the hair and dragging it down. I chose the latter, and thank goodness it worked. (Now it's probably stuck in my stomach.)

So! If you ever are violated by a hair that won't go away ... find some milk and bread. If you ever want a great excuse to devour some white flour .. chow down on some hair!

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I wrote not too long ago about my transition to whole wheat bread. I knew it would be a smooth change for me and my husband -- and it was -- but I feared my little boys would mourn the loss of their honey wheat variety. They didn't. Instead, they moved seamlessly from one bread to the other, one boy not even aware anything had changed. Here's how it happened.

Almost five-year-old Danny enjoyed his favorite egg and cheese breakfast sandwich one morning without even noticing his bread had been switched up. Nope. Didn't detect a change in color or taste. Just gobbled the daddy-made sandwich down. He's still doing it, a few mornings a week, and still doesn't have a clue.

Seven-year-old Joey did notice the substitution. And he liked it. "Hey, I see we have new bread," he said one day after returning home from school and handing me his lunch box. "Yes," we do have new bread," I replied. "Do you like it?" He told me he did, and I told him that made me happy since it is healthier than our old bread. Whole wheat bread is packed in his lunch box every week day, and never does a complaint come my way.

Whole wheat is a hit in our house. How about yours? If you haven't yet made the transition, give it a try -- it's likely those living in your household will enjoy it more than you think.

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Got tangles in your favorite necklace? Use a little butter and a needle and see if you can get them out. Probably not, according to this MSNBC video. After this oddball food remedy was tested, the tangles did come out, but it took 20 minutes -- probably not that much easier than using a needle alone.

Food is apparently not for consumption alone. It also works for some of life's little annoyances -- like removing crayon marks from walls and furniture. Just rub on a glob of mayonnaise, let sit for 10 minutes, and wipe off. Hey, it works. This also works: Use a piece of bread and dab it on small pieces of broken glass -- it will pick them up with ease.

How about egg yolk for super shiny hair? Nope. Stick with your usual conditioner. Does milk work for ink stains on shirts? No. How about salt for grease stains? No again.

Two out of six. Not so great in my book. I say save your food for fuel and forget the shot-in-the-dark frustration fixes.

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